A Grist special series on college eco-activism

It’s that time again. College students have settled into their dorms, started their classes, checked out some parties, and started cramming for the gnarliest pass-fail test of all time: saving the planet. Not all students are engaged in green endeavors, of course, but fast-growing numbers are — and the results have been eye-popping.

Many students are crusading for the environment beyond their campuses as well. Since 2007, student- and youth-driven campaigns like Focus the Nation, Step It Up, and Power Shift have brought together more than a million people nationwide in demonstrations and other actions to stop climate change. This year, the Power Vote campaign aims to mobilize a million young voters who will prioritize climate change at the polls. Voters between the ages of 18 and 29 — some 68 percent of whom voted for Democrats in the 2008 primaries — could be a deciding force in choosing the next president.

In short, the college crowd deserves a special series, so we’re giving it to them. Dig in: